AC Milan Eye Santon As The Replacement For Arsenal Target Abate

AC Milan are lining up a move for Newcastle United defender Davide Santon as the replacement for Arsenal FC target Ignazio Abate.

If reports are to be believed Bacary Sagna’s six year stint at Arsenal will come to an end at the end of this season. Sagna’s current contract will expire in June 2014 and talks regarding an extension haven’t yielded any result so far. Arsenal have a strict policy about offering only a one year extension to players above the age of thirty. Sagna on the other hand wants a longer contract as he sees this as the opportunity to sign the last big contract of his career.

PSG, Monaco, AC Milan, Inter and Galatasaray are all monitoring his situation right now and will make their move in the January transfer window. Sagna will be eligible to hold talks with any interested club in January and could agree to a pre-contract. Although Arsene Wenger is desperate to hold on to the experienced defender, reports suggest that the 30-year-old has already informed the club about his decision to leave next season.

Arsenal are in the market to find a replacement for Sagna as Jenkinson is yet to step up to the required level. Arsene Wenger is reportedly monitoring a number of targets through his scouts and have been linked with FC Twente’s Roberto Rosales and Genoa’s Šime Vrsaljko. Recent reports suggest that the London club are also considering a move for AC Milan full back Ignazio Abate.

The 27-year-old has been at the Italian club since 1999 and after spending a lot of seasons on loan, Abate finally established himself in the first team during the 2009-10 season. He also made his debut for the Italian national side in 2011 and has made 14 appearances since then. Abate’s current contract expires in 2014 and reports suggest that he is unlikely to extend his stay at the Italian club beyond the end of this season.

Arsenal are considering a move for him in order to replace Sagna next season, but face competition from PSG. The French club are also interested in signing the Italian international and are helped by the fact that Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Abate share the same agent. But the Gunners are confident about convincing him to move to England.

AC Milan meanwhile are also lining up a replacement for Abate. The Italian club are closely monitoring the progress of Newcastle United defender Davide Santon. The 22-year-old, who once drew comparisons with Milan legend Paolo Maldini, is yet to fulfil the promise he showed in his youth. But his performances have been steadily improving since his move to Newcastle United from Inter.

Santon’s current contract runs till 2016 and although Newcastle United won’t be too keen to sell him, the former Inter defender might consider a move back to Italy. Santon has been playing as a left back at Newcastle this season, but his primarily position is at rightback; he is versatile enough to play on either wing. Moreover a move back to Italy might help him regain a place back in the Italian national team.